SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/605094
www.stma.org December 2015 | SportsTurf 13 they bought us all new ones. They had heard of our complex but really never been physically at our complex. The fall they were installed, they asked if they could host their employee appreciation picnic at our complex and have a softball game. We went "full ground crew" on them including pre-game wet down. They had an absolute blast. They were so blown away with the quality our facility, and the number of games we play and kids we have, they wanted to help us out even more. They have continued to donate money and last year paid for all of our outfields to be fully irrigated. They have come back each year and continue to have their employee appreciation picnic at our place with the highlight being the softball game. MARTIN KAUFMAN, CSFM GCA Services Nashville, TN Most of the time sports field managers are also event manag- ers/coordinators, assistant (or substitute) facility directors, and backup leaders in emergency situations. In short, we are involved in logistics. In addition we are relied on to manage environmental issues and sustainability inputs. At every facility where I have worked, I have dealt with park- ing, crowd management, emergency management, security, winter weather, creating Arboretums, setting up for events like concerts and parties, as well as custodial duties after fundrais- ing and sporting events. In many cases I was the contact for any construction plans and operations as subcontractors arrived. Once I became very involved in implementing a property- wide storm water management plan that included reforesting, remeadowing, and specific turf management for specific spaces in addition to rain garden implementations. I even got involved in permeable concrete! Sports turf managers are logistical problem solvers and leaders when it comes to resource management be it people, property buildings or equipment. We are required to wear so many hats, including financial, that leading organizations is the next step once we figure out how to deal with politics and media. I accepted a new job 3 months ago with GCA Services (Tim Moore, CSFM, is the VP of Grounds for this multistate man- agement company). It is great to be valued as an expert to the customer and leader in accountability for the subcontractor. The impact on success of organizations results from STMA members representing their organizations in the community and professional industry. We are the experts and we make our organizations look good! KEN EDWARDS, CSFM Sports Turf Manager City of Gulfport (MS) For the past 7 years I have volunteered as the baseball and softball groundskeeper for the high school my kids attended. I took on this responsibility because the county I live in built two new schools and they both got new facilities. While attend- ing a school function I overheard the kids saying that they had crappy fields so I decided that I should do something. I con- tacted the coach and boy, was he overjoyed. The first 2 years I did most of the work on the fields during the off-season and on weekends and evenings. The head and assistant coaches would help out when they could. I had an idea that everyone should be involved in the maintenance especially the parents and players. I approached the coaches with the idea of a family and friend workday before the start of the next sea- son. Field work day would be scheduled at least 4 weeks before the start of the spring training and involve players, coaches, parents and friends all working together on the fields. The play- ers and coaches then would maintain the fields. All the school had for equipment was a mower and four- wheeler for dragging the infield so we did a resource inventory. I made a list of equipment needs and materials and passed it out to all the parents. It included items such as clay dirt, sand, sod, tractor, loader, tiller, compactor and hand tools. Little did I know that between all the parents someone in the group had access to every item on the list and was willing to donate or loan it to the school. The first workday was a big hit. I had about 35 people ready to work. I created stations; batter's box, bases, pitching mound, outfield, infield, fence lines, bull pens, transition lines and dug- outs. I personally walked the group through each station and gave proper instructions on every task required to maintain a ball field. The biggest hit was the pitcher's mound. Of course it was in the worst shape. I gathered all the pitchers and their families around the mound. I gave them instructions on how to mea- sure and cut out the mound. They did all the work. I pulled out a mound slope gauge and had them set it up. That drew the attention of everyone on the field. They never heard of a slope gauge. Together we built a regulation high school pitcher's mound to exact specifications. According to the head coach, that was the first time to his knowledge it was ever done. Through this effort those ball fields are in great shape, the athletes and boosters are donating more time and resources than ever before and the kids are no longer calling their fields crappy. Now that everyone is involved I don't have to spend as much time on those fields but I regularly stop by to check on them. I also look forward to family field day at the start of the season. It has become a big event. All the new kids and parents get to learn field maintenance procedures and I get to eat some great southern fried fish. ■ ST I know that between all the parents someone in the group had access to every item on the list and was willing to donate or loan it to the school.